Ben's Chili Bowl

DC's most iconic dish is a smoky, spicy, messy and delicious medley of everything that makes a hot dog great. Make sure to do it right, with yellow mustard and chopped onions under a blanket of the most addictive chili sauce you could ever imagine!

Joe Ariel
-
CEO, The Marco Polo of Food

There may be a lot of partisanship in D.C. these days, but one thing locals can agree on is that Ben’s Chili Bowl rocks. In 1958, Ben Ali and his new bride, Virginia, began renovations on a small building at 1213 U Street. Completely unbeknownst to them, their modest business venture would eventually become a cherished neighborhood institution visited by both locals, tourists and superfans like Bill Cosby and President Obama.

Ben’s famous “half-smokes” (half-pork and half-beef smoked sausages) have been topped with their spicy, top-secret chili recipe since the day they opened, making them a national treasure. If only Nicolas Cage could solve the mystery of Ben’s chili…

For now, we’ll just have to settle for it being sent straight to our door.

We're not the only ones who love them!

Ben's has been featured on The Food Network, Man vs. Food and No Reservations; as well as honored by the James Beard Foundation.

Ben's Chili Bowl

DC's Famous Half Smokes and Chili Sauce

There may be a lot of partisanship in D.C. these days, but one thing locals can agree on is that Ben’s Chili Bowl rocks. In 1958, Ben Ali and his new bride, Virginia, began renovations on a small building at 1213 U Street. Completely unbeknownst to them, their modest business venture would eventually become a cherished neighborhood institution visited by both locals, tourists and superfans like Bill Cosby and President Obama.

Ben’s famous “half-smokes” (half-pork and half-beef smoked sausages) have been topped with their spicy, top-secret chili recipe since the day they opened, making them a national treasure. If only Nicolas Cage could solve the mystery of Ben’s chili…

For now, we’ll just have to settle for it being sent straight to our door.

We're not the only ones who love them!

Ben's has been featured on The Food Network, Man vs. Food and No Reservations; as well as honored by the James Beard Foundation.